Behavioural photos..

Does anyone have any - well thats a daft question I know some of you do.. but would you be able to share with me please.

Louie is growing up now and starting to mature mentally now and has been getting mixed greetings from different dogs. Most are fine, some will grumble - fair enough, the ones I think of are tiny so are more than likely "don't step one me" grumbles but we met a lab the other day who's tail was straight up and Louie kinda play bowed then put his paw over this dogs shoulder.. I wasn't sure whether it was dominance or whether it was play, as Jessie did it to Louie yesterday on a walk whilst they were playing.. I've never seen Louie do it before.. and the other lab wasn't happy and there was grumbling.. (typical males I thought)

But other than the above I just want to see some behavioural shots - if you will

I'll have a look to see if any of my pics of Dex with other dogs are helpful

Re placing the paw on the dog's shoulder etc: it's interesting, Dex adores other dogs and has never met a dog he doesn't like. But the only time he has EVER responded negatively is with one GSD who is younger than he is, is still intact, and who keeps trying to put his paw and neck over Dex's back and shoulder... It can be playful but apparently at times it can be taken differently?

Not sure if these are 'behavioural' but in case they help - Dex and various other dogs:

See Louie's was more than the FCR there, like that but from the front and nearing on two paws.. both dogs are entire though so I don't know if they were trying to sort each other out.. I wasnt too worried about it though.. I can't tell all the behaviours going off but they are interesting.. may put a few of my own up..

It kind of all depends on context - although I wouldnt be happy with a dog putting a paw over the back of another dog they had just met - that is pretty rude for most dogs

But look at the whole picture and see what you feel as well. I have learnt lots from Ben, depending on what the other dog is like he will sometimes appear very submissive, sometimes he will do loads of calming signals before appraoching and sometimes he will charge up with his tail right up

But in every case he seems to read it just right and has never been in a fight in his life (except Mia and a dog who was going for me)

Mia on the other hand has no clue!!

See I think I have the same, Louie can be quite clueless unless being growled at - I think growing up with Benjie has taught him some things, yet Sadie is brilliant at reading dogs.

The way it was was that they were playing, I wasn't happy with the dogs tail but I thought once they relaxed (never met before) then it'd be fine and they were we did have a nice walk with them after - no high tails or grumbling, but there was a play bow from Louie before.. and the paw thing wasn't straight away it was after greeting and running about a bit.. so it's a bit confusing, Louie's tail however was low, not down but not straight up.. if thats at all understandable..

I don't have any photos but attending dog socialisation group with Cain has really educated me. Usually anything over the back of another dog is quite rude behaviour. The dog may not mean it in a "I'm going to rule the world" way , it can be playful but generally it's not considered good manners between dogs who don't know each other very well. Same with putting the head over the shoulders of another dog, it's a bit bolshy and the other dog could well object. The main things I look out for is stiffness of body. For example the photo of the Flattie (in my humble opinion), the Flattie looks relaxed about the whole thing, Dexter on the other hand doesn't look too perturbed but does look vaguely concerned by the action, but I doubt this would come to anything and might encite play. But if the bodies are stiff, or still, then you might get an objection. Some dogs natural play behaviour can upset other dogs, some are very paw orientated, Cain used to think that leaping full force onto another dogs back was a great way to ask them to play apparently the neck grab thing is very GSD, yet some other dogs might find it rude. Sorry I'm sort of rambling and I'm unsure of the conclusion of my post

MM you make perfect sense. And Louie doesn't do the paw thing to every dog, so I wouldn't call him rude, he is bolshy at times, but less so now as he used to be. And most of his actions get a play reaction and if not he walks away.. he is very good at getting "stiff" dogs to relax as when greeting I have seen that he will play bow if the dog isn't so keen and then get a game of chase in; I think his tactics failed with this lab - but like I say after 20 minutes - they were fine and exploring the world together.. well the lakes. Ah - something I forgot to add - there were 2 bitches there.. not sure if that makes a difference..

Benjie with Louie around new friends:


Sadie and Alfie:


Thats all I have for now because photobucket broke


Where's Tassle, Tupacs2legs and Rune when you need them, they normally have brilliant behavioural shots.

Jessie's paw over Louie the other day was definitely play but also letting him know she held the higher status. I dont know if you've noticed Jessie does this alot when playing with the dogs at training and she generally ends up telling them off and none of them ever argue with her. It's play but on her terms.
Jed's play always involves testing the other dog if it's a strange dog to see if he can dominate it as he's quite a confident character. When he was playing with Louie it was all about humping because he holds the higher rank.
I also noticed that Louie was very polite in his play with both Jed and Jessie, very different to his demeanour in the paddock at class when he can be quite full on with the other dogs who are a similar, if not younger, age. He obviously respects his elders!

I dont think I have any pictures of behaviours but will have a look.

I am dog sitting for Tassles dogs except the pup----but I have the whippet pup and I have Zeff---so a bit tied up for hunting through photos----sorry! She will be home early evening but possibly knackered and I will be chilling with a bit of luck.

Off to try and get everyone in the garden and pup to wee and poo.

Maybe I'll take the camera outwith me

rune

Couldn't have put it simpler! Although he's always been polite with Jessie.

I didn't actually ask how old the lab was so it could be the similar age thing.. he wasn't much older than Louie. I have found a photo which is similar to what he was doing to the Lab though, only this involves Sadie and Alfie..


Kind of like that.. but obviously without seeing it for yourself you can't really tell.. but they obviously sorted it out so it was all good